Arman Tsarukyan and Dillon Danis are finally clashing for the inaugural Real American Freestyle (RAF) middleweight crossover championship this Friday, Oct. 23, going down live at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. This isn’t just another card, this is a title fight that has everyone buzzing, even if one half of the main event is still searching for his first W in RAF action.
Tsarukyan Is on Fire, Danis Is Still Searching
Listen, Tsarukyan is entering this RAF 14 event just weeks after putting Mauricio Ruffy to sleep with a first-round knockout at UFC 331 back in September. That win solidified his spot as the UFC’s top-ranked 155-pound contender, no joke. He’s been an absolute force in RAF all year, racking up a ridiculous 7-1 record across eight appearances in 2026. This dude is active, he is winning, and he is coming for that championship. On the flip side, Dillon Danis? He’s still looking for his first RAF victory, full stop. He’s already taken losses to Colby Covington and Khamzat Chimaev this year. We almost saw him face Tsarukyan back in April in a submission grappling match, but that never even happened. Now he’s getting a title shot without a single win in the promotion. Talk about high stakes!
Chimaev’s Return and Other Championship Showdowns
The co-main event is another monster, with former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev returning to the mats to face former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler. Chimaev has been a massive draw for RAF this year, piling up back-to-back wins, and he’s looking to keep that momentum rolling. Lawler, at 44 years old, is making his RAF debut, and you know he’s going to bring that veteran toughness. Beyond the crossover battles at the top, we’ve got two more championship fights lined up. Lucia Yepez, an Ecuadorian standout, is going toe-to-toe with Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt for the RAF women’s strawweight championship. Plus, former featherweight champ Jordan Oliver is battling Ridge Lovett for the vacant lightweight title. And don’t forget Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs is back in action, facing Michael Caliendo in a middleweight bout, alongside other familiar MMA names like Juan Archuleta, Brendan Allen, and Alexander Shlemenko. Even Bella Mir, Frank Mir’s daughter, is stepping back onto the mats after an upset loss in August on Dana White’s Contender Series.
RAF 14 kicks off this Friday at 9 p.m. ET, an hour later than usual, and you can catch all the action live in the United States on FOX Nation. If you’re looking for a bigger screen experience, approximately 40 AMC Theatres locations across the country will also be showing the event live. Get ready, because these fighters are bringing the heat, and history is about to be made with that inaugural middleweight crossover championship on the line.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply